Every athlete’s worst nightmare is getting hurt. One of the worst feelings in the world is not being able to compete and having to watch your team compete without you. One of the most severe injuries an athlete can have is the tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). This requires an extensive recovery and some athletes never fully recover. There is a lot that goes into an ACL injury and also its recovery. First of all, the ACL is a ligament in the knee. The knee joint is the articulation between the femur, patella, tibia, and fibula. The patella is the knee cap. There are many other ligaments that are present in the knee. The medial collateral and lateral collateral ligaments control medial and lateral stability of the knee as their name suggests. The ligament of Wrisberg is another stability ligament among others found in the knee. The quadriceps muscles (vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, and rectus femoris) connect to the patellar tendon that runs to the tibial tuberosity. The ACL forms a cross with the PCL. Basic knowledge of the wording in anatomy shows that the ACL is on the anterior (front) side and the PCL is on the posterior (back) side of the knee. A picture of the structure of the knee is located on the attached document. The cruciate ligaments control the back and forth motion of your knee. The anterior cruciate ligament runs diagonally in the middle of the knee. It prevents the tibia from sliding out in front of the femur, as well as provides rotational stability to the knee (Orthoinfo 2014). According to Orthoinfo.org, there are three different grades of sprains that can occur to the ACL. They are as follows: “The ligament is mildly damaged in a Grade 1 Sprain. It has been slightly stretched, but is still able to help keep the knee joint stable. A Grade 2 Sprain stretches the ligament to the point where it becomes loose. This is often referred to as a partial tear of the ligament. A grade 3 sprain is most commonly referred to as a complete tear of the ligament. The ligament has been split into two pieces, and the knee joint is unstable” (2014). There are different mechanisms for an ACL injury. The most common way that an ACL is injured is by changing direction rapidly (Wedro 2015). This can occur really at any time but usually occurs in a fast moving and high intensity sport. The ACL can also be injured by stopping suddenly or by even slowing down. Strain is placed on the ligament and it can become too much for it to handle. Another way it is injured is by landing from a jump incorrectly. Once again, strain can be placed on the ligament in this way. An ACL injury also can occur by direct contact. This is seen a lot in football as a high impact strike can occur such as when one is being tackled. When the knee gives out, most people hear or feel a popping noise (Orthoinfo 2015). This is
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Phase V - return to sport, usually at six months
Emphasis:
o Patient must meet all the criteria for return to sports o No soft tissue or range of motion complaints o Physician must clear the patient to resume full activities o The goal is safe return to sports o Education of patient about possible limitations o Maintenance of strength, endurance, and proprioception o Functional bracing may be recommended for the first one to two …show more content…
According to Emery Healthcare, during the first part of the rehab process the following exercises are examples of the exercises that will be performed: heel slides, quad sets, knee extension, and straight leg raise (abduction). A diagram of these exercises are included on the attached document. After swelling has gone down and range of motion starts coming back, these exercises can be performed: wall squat with a physioball, balance exercises on a physical therapist’s wobble board, and terminal knee extension. Straight line running can be done anywhere from 2-6 months depending on how the recovery process is going. The goal for return to play and full recovery is usually six months but can be longer especially if the ACL has been injured more than
Phase V - return to sport, usually at six months
Emphasis:
o Patient must meet all the criteria for return to sports o No soft tissue or range of motion complaints o Physician must clear the patient to resume full activities o The goal is safe return to sports o Education of patient about possible limitations o Maintenance of strength, endurance, and proprioception o Functional bracing may be recommended for the first one to two …show more content…
According to Emery Healthcare, during the first part of the rehab process the following exercises are examples of the exercises that will be performed: heel slides, quad sets, knee extension, and straight leg raise (abduction). A diagram of these exercises are included on the attached document. After swelling has gone down and range of motion starts coming back, these exercises can be performed: wall squat with a physioball, balance exercises on a physical therapist’s wobble board, and terminal knee extension. Straight line running can be done anywhere from 2-6 months depending on how the recovery process is going. The goal for return to play and full recovery is usually six months but can be longer especially if the ACL has been injured more than